About Me

Monday, 30 November 2009

The Lincoln Imp is the symbol of the City of Lincoln, the county town of Lincolnshire, England.

According to a 14th-century legend two mischievous creatures called imps were sent by Satan to do evil work on Earth. After causing mayhem in Northern England, the two imps headed to Lincoln Cathedral (pictured right) where they smashed tables and chairs and tripped up the Bishop. When an angel came out of a book of hymns and told them to stop, one of the imps was brave and started throwing rocks at the angel but the other imp cowered under the broken tables and chairs. The angel turned the first imp to stone giving the second imp a chance to escape.There are many variations on Lincoln Imp legends. According to one popular legend, the imp which escaped fled north to Grimsby, where it soon began making trouble again. It entered St James' Church and began repeating its behaviour at Lincoln Cathedral. The angel then reappeared and gave the imp's backside a good thrashing before turning it to stone like its friend. The "Grimsby Imp" can still be seen in St James' Church, clinging to its sore bottom. Another legend has the escaped imp turned to stone just outside the cathedral, and sharp-eyed visitors can spot it on a South outside wall. (Pictured left: The imp inside Lincoln cathedral).

Lincoln City Football Club are nicknamed "The Imps" and an image of the Lincoln Imp appears on their crest. Also, the club's mascot is called Poacher the Imp.

The Imp is the badge of No.LXI Squadron RAF.

Lincoln College, OxfordAn 1899 reproduction of the Lincoln Imp also overlooked the Front Quad of Lincoln College, Oxford until 2000 when it was transferred to the bar (Deep Hall) and another Imp was erected in the traditional position above the entrance to Hall. This has given rise to a traditional Oxford expression: 'to look on someone like the Imp looks over Lincoln' as well as giving rise to the title of the college's undergraduate newspaper: The Lincoln Imp. The Lincoln Imp is also mascot of the college boat club, an image of which is used to decorate the oars and jerseys of the men's first VIII.

The following article appeared in the Telegraph last Thursday. I found it very interesting.

A new study has suggested that drinking moderately could be the key to enjoying a longer life. But what other measures do experts consider beneficial in enjoying a long and healthy retirement? Here are some tips gleaned from the longest living communities in the world. :: On the Greek island of Ikaria, which has the largest proportion of 90-year-olds in the world, locals are famed for drinking a thick mountain herbal tea. The drink, which is consumed several times a day, contains a variety of dried herbs including wild mint, rosemary, purple sage and spleenwort.:: Due to the mountainous geography of the island and lack of transport options, locals are forced to remain active later in life, taking regular exercise well into their 80s and 90s.:: The Icarian diet also contains large amounts of olive oil, fruit and vegetables and very little processed food.:: Residents of the Japanese island of Okinawa also enjoy among the world's longest lifespans. Researchers believe this could be down in part to the way they consume food, rarely overeating and finishing a meal when they are 80 per cent full.:: Locals also eat a diet heavy on grains, fish and vegetables and tend to steer clear of meat, eggs and dairy food.:: On the Italian island of Sardinia, where there are high number of centenarians, inhabitants drink wine made from grapes which are very rich in polyphenols and antioxidants that help slow the ageing process.:: In the Hunza Valley in Pakistan people routinely live into their 90s, which researchers believe could be due to their diet of fruit, grain and vegetables. Many of their plants are eaten raw and they also eat high proportions of apricots, cherries, grapes, plums and peaches.:: The Vilcambamba region of southern Ecuador, claims to have large numbers of people reaching their 100th birthday in good health. Some have attributed this longevity to their consumption of a natural mineral water, which is remarkably free from impurities.:: In Loma Linda in California a community of Seventh Day Adventists enjoy a lifespan between five and 10 years longer than their fellow citizens. Researchers have put this down to the fact they do not drink or smoke and have a vegetarian diet.:: Others have attributed their longevity to the low levels of stress and anxiety present among members of the community.

Today we bring you another Who Am I? puzzle. As usual ten clues to solve which will reveal the identity of our mystery celebrity. Can you work out who it is?01 I was born on 7 October 1978.02 My place of birth was Welwyn Garden City.03 I am one of seven children.04 My mother is British, my father Jamaican.05 I attended the West London 'Dance Attic', a popular hip-hop/jazz dance academy.06 I was once a member of the girl band Mis-Teeq.07 In 2007 I became the face of urban clothing brand Ecko Red.08 I was the supporting act to Enrique Iglesias on his UK tour.09 In 2009 I fronted a new campaign for Toblerone chocolate.10 Also in 2009, I climbed Mt Kilimanjaro for Comic Relief.Good luck with this puzzle. Answer will appear in tomorrow's Journal!

Male or Female? You might not have known this, but a lot of non-living objects are actually either male or female. Here are some examples:

FREEZER BAGS: They are male, because they hold everything in, but you can see right through them.

PHOTOCOPIERS: These are female, because once turned off; it takes a while to warm them up again. They are an effective reproductive device if the right buttons are pushed, but can also wreak havoc if you push the wrong Buttons.

TYRES: Tyres are male, because they go bald easily and are often over inflated.

HOT AIR BALLOONS: Also a male object, because to get them to go anywhere, you have to light a fire under their butt.

SPONGES: These are female, because they are soft, squeezable and retain water.. (ain?t that the truth).